Razor handle and shaver including such a handle

ABSTRACT

A razor handle having a handle body and a lock/release mechanism that includes two arms, each having a bearing for pivotally connecting a shaving head, the arms extending substantially symmetrically on both sides of a medial axis, the arms being elastically biased opposite to one another toward a head locking position wherein the bearings are adapted to pivotally bear the shaving head, and the arms being movable toward one another into a head release position wherein the bearings are adapted to release the shaving head. The razor handle also includes a plunger which is movable between the two arms, substantially parallel to the medial axis, and a spring biasing the plunger away from the handle body, such that the plunger is adapted to cooperate with a cam surface belonging to the shaving head for biasing the shaving head toward a rest position.

This application is a national stage application of PCT/EP2004/010774,filed on Sep. 7, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the present invention relate to a razor handle and toshavers including such handles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

More precisely, the embodiments of the present invention relate to arazor handle having a handle body and a lock/release mechanismincluding:

two arms, each having a bearing for pivotally connecting a shaving head,the arms extending substantially symmetrically on both sides of a medialaxis, the arms being elastically biased opposite to one another toward ahead locking position wherein the bearings are adapted to pivotally bearthe shaving head, and the arms being movable toward one another into ahead release position wherein the bearings are adapted to release theshaving head,

a plunger which is movable between the two arms, substantially parallelto the medial axis; and

and a spring biasing the plunger away from the handle, such that theplunger is adapted to cooperate with a cam surface belonging to theshaving head for biasing the shaving head toward a rest position.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,357 discloses an example of such a known shaver, inwhich the arms are connected together by a resilient bridge portionwhich biases the arms in opposite directions. The biasing forcetransmitted to the arms by the bridge portion may, however, vary in timedue to the creeping or wear of the plastic material forming the bridgeportion.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One objective of an embodiment of the present invention is to avoid thisdrawback.

To this end, according to the invention, in a vibrating shaver of thetype in question, the lock/release mechanism further includes an armpusher which is movable substantially parallel to the medial axis andwhich is biased toward the handle body by the spring, the arm pushercooperating with the two arms by camming action for biasing the armstoward the head locking position.

Thanks to these dispositions, it is possible to obtain a reliablebiasing effort on the arms, without having multiple springs.

In various embodiments of the present invention, one may possibly haverecourse in addition to one and/or other of the following arrangements:

the two arms are connected to one another by a hinge;

the arms are molded as a single piece, the hinge comprising a thinbridge of material connecting the two arms to each other;

each arm extends between a first end connected to the hinge and a secondend including one of the bearings;

the bearings are shell bearings;

the arms are partially contained inside the handle body and the bearingsare exposed toward the outside;

each arm includes a pushbutton which is adapted to protrude outside thebody when the arms are in the locking position;

the two arms diverge from the medial axis in a direction away from thehandle body;

the spring is a compression spring interposed between the plunger andthe arm pusher in the medial direction;

the spring extends between two spring ends, penetrating respectively ina recess belonging to the plunger and in a recess belonging to the armpusher;

the plunger has a central body and two lateral wings, the central bodybeing adapted to cooperate with the cam surface of the shaving head tobias the shaving head toward the rest position, and the central bodyincluding the recess of the plunger which opens toward the arm pusher;

the plunger has a central body and two lateral wings, the two lateralwings of the plunger being adapted to cooperate by hooking actionrespectively with the two arms to maintain the arms in the head releaseposition when the plunger is in an outwardly protruding position; thelateral wings of the plunger are adapted to release the arms when theplunger is moved toward the handle body relative to the outwardlyprotruding position;

the lateral wings of the plunger include detents which protrude awayfrom the handle body, substantially parallel to the medial axis, and thearms include two openings adapted to receive the detents to maintain thearms in the head release position when the plunger is in an outwardlyprotruding position;

the arm pusher has a central body and two lateral extensions cooperatingby camming action respectively with the two arms for elastically biasingthe arms toward the head locking position;

the two lateral extensions penetrate in two slots formed respectively inthe two arms;

each slot has a bottom and each lateral extension cooperate by cammingaction with the bottom of the corresponding slot;

the two extensions of the arm pusher have lateral edges which divergefrom the medial axis in a direction away from the handle body, thelateral edges bearing respectively on the bottoms of the slots, and thebottoms also diverging from the medial axis in a direction away from thehandle body.

Besides, another object of an embodiment of the present invention is ashaver including a razor handle as defined above and a shaving headpivotally attached to the handle by the bearings, the shaving headincluding a cam surface and the plunger being elastically biased againstthe cam surface for biasing the shaving head toward a rest position. Thebearings may be shell bearings and the shaving head may further includetwo inwardly facing arcuate slots receiving respectively the twobearings of the arms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the embodiments of the presentinvention appear from the following detailed description of one of itsembodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b are respectively perspective views of a shaveraccording to one embodiment of the invention, seen from above and frombelow,

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective of the shaver of FIGS. 1 a and 1 b,seen from above,

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the shaver of FIGS. 1 a and 1b, seen from below,

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross section of the shaver of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 5-7 are respectively transverse cross sections along lines V-V,VI-VI and VII-VII of FIG. 4,

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b are two perspective views, seen in two differentdirections, of the lock/release mechanism connecting the razor handle tothe shaving head in the shaver of FIGS. 1 a and 1 b,

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the shaving head in the shaver of FIGS. 1 a and1 b, and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are cross sections of the lock/release mechanism ofFIGS. 8 a and 8 b, respectively in the head locking position and in thehead release position.

In the figures, the same references denote identical or similarelements.

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show a wet shaver 1, i.e. a shaver the blades of whichare not driven by a motor relative to the shaving head.

The shaver 1 includes a hollow handle 2 extending in a longitudinaldirection L between a proximal portion 3 and a distal portion 4 bearinga shaving head 5. The shaving head 5 includes a front face 5 a equippedwith one or several blades 5 b and a rear face 5 c which is connected tothe handle 2.

The longitudinal direction L may be curved or include one or severalstraight portions. In the present case, the longitudinal direction L iscurved, with a concavity which is constantly directed toward theunderside 6 of the handle (i.e. the side of the handle which facessubstantially the same direction as the front face 5 a of the shavinghead).

The shaver may further include, for instance on the top side 7 of thehandle (i.e. the side of the handle which faces opposite the front face5 a of the shaving head), a flexible wall 8 which enables to actuate aswitch 9 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) mounted inside the hollow handle 2, forinstance by pressing on a pusher 10 of the switch when depressing theflexible wall 8.

The switch 9 controls an electric vibrator 11 (see FIGS. 2-4) which isable to generate vibrations and transmits them to the handle 2. Theelectric vibrator may include for instance:

an electric motor 12 having a rigid outer casing 13,

an output shaft 14 rotated by the electric motor 12,

and an eccentric mass 15 which is mounted on the output shaft 14.

As it will be explained in further details hereafter, the rigid outercasing 13 of the electric motor 12 is tightly fitted in the handle 2, inthe vicinity of the distal portion 4, with interposition of anelastomeric layer 16 between the casing and the handle.

The casing 13 may be circular in cross section, and may in particularhave substantially the shape of a circular cylinder and the elastomericlayer 16 may surround the casing 13 of the vibrator. The elastomericlayer may be in the form of an elastomeric sleeve surrounding the casingof the vibrator or more generally may include such elastomeric sleeve.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the thickness “e” of the elastomeric layer may becomprised for instance between about 0.2 and about 1 mm. Moreparticularly, where the elastomeric layer 16 is compressed between thecasing 13 and the handle 2, the thickness “e” may be comprised betweenabout 0.2 and about 0.6 mm, and for instance be around 0.4 mm, whereasin the portions where the elastomeric layer is not compressed betweenthe casing and the vibrator, the thickness “e” of such layer may becomprised for instance between about 0.4 and about 1 mm.

The elastomeric layer 16 may for instance be a silicone layer or moregenerally may comprise such silicone layer, and the elastomeric layermay have a Shore hardness comprised for instance between about 70 ShoreA and about 90 Shore A. The Shore hardness may be for instance around 75Shore A.

In the example considered here, as shown for instance in FIGS. 2 and 3,the handle may include a substantially rigid hollow body 17 (as opposedto softer elastomeric parts of the handle), made out for instance ofplastic material, e.g. of molded thermoplastic.

The body 17 may form the distal portion 4 of the handle and the medialportion 18 of the handle, and the body 17 may comprise:

a first body portion 19 forming for instance part of the top side 7 ofthe handle,

and a second body portion 20 which may form for instance part of theunderside 6 of the handle.

The first body portion 19 may include a recessed portion 21 on which isfixed an elastomeric trim 22 which includes the flexible wall 8 incorrespondence with a hollow portion 23 which is hollowed out in therecessed portion 21 in correspondence with the pusher 10 of the switch9.

The first body portion 19 may also include a flexible tongue 24protruding substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction L in thehollow portion 23 and interposed between the flexible wall 8 and thepusher 10. The flexible tongue 24 is elastically flexed and presses onthe pusher 10 when a user depresses the flexible wall 8, and theflexible tongue 24 thereafter elastically returns the flexible wall 8toward its normal position. In this normal position, the flexible wall 8may for instance slightly protrude upwardly from the elastomeric trim22.

Besides, the first body portion 19 may also include, in the exampleshown in the drawings, an index pad on which the index finger of theuser of the shaver may rest (see FIG. 2). This index pad may forinstance extend with an increasing width, between a rear tip a and afront end which is wider than the rear tip and which is closer to theshaving head 5 (see FIG. 1 a). The index pad may be made for instanceout of elastomer.

Besides, as shown for instance on FIGS. 2 and 3, the second body portion20 may also include an outer recess portion 26 in which is fixed afurther elastomeric trim 27. The trim 27 may include for instancetransverse ribs 27 a at the end of the trim which is opposite the distalportion 4 of the handle.

The elastomeric trims 22, 27 may be fixed to the corresponding bodyportions 19, by any suitable means, for instance by co-injection.

The first and second body portions 19 are facing each other in a firsttransverse direction T1 (FIG. 4) which is substantially perpendicular tothe longitudinal direction L at the level of the motor 12 and which iscomprised in a medial plane of symmetry of the shaver 1. More precisely,the first transverse direction, as shown in FIG. 4, is perpendicular tothe output shaft 14 of the motor.

The first and second body portions 19, 20 may be fixed together byfitting and by ultrasonic welding. However, the first and second bodyportions could be fixed together by any other means, such as snapfitting, gluing, etc.

The casing 13 of the motor may be for instance tightly fitted between:

at least one, for instance two concave bearing surfaces 28 belonging tothe first body portion 19 and 20 facing toward the second body portion20 parallel to the first transverse direction T1 (see FIGS. 3 and 6),

and at least one, for instance two second concave bearing surfaces 29belonging to the second body portion 20 and facing toward the first bodyportion 19 in the first transverse direction T1 (FIGS. 2 and 7).

These first and second bearing surfaces, which may be either in mutualcorrespondence on both sides of the motor 12 or axially offset along thelongitudinal direction L of the motor 12, are more clearly visible onFIGS. 6 and 7.

As shown on FIG. 6, the or each first bearing surface 28 may have asubstantially U shape, with a base surface 28 a and two substantiallyparallel side surfaces 28 b facing each other in a second transversedirection T2 substantially perpendicular to the first transversedirection and to the longitudinal direction. These side surfaces 28 bmay be disposed to be clamped onto substantially diametrically opposedportions of the casing 13, with interposition of the elastomeric layer16. This feature enables an easier manufacturing process, since themotor 12 may thus be retained in the first bearing surface 28 afterbeing mounted therein, before mounting of the second body portion 20onto the first body portion 19.

Besides, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, the elastomeric layer16 may be more compressed in the second transverse direction T2 betweenthe two side surfaces 28 b of the first bearing surface 28 (FIG. 6),than in the first transverse direction T1 between the second bearingsurface 2 9 and the base surface 28 a of the first bearing surface.

This feature may also facilitate the manufacturing process, particularlysince the tolerances of mutual positioning between the second bearingsurface 29 and the base surface 28 a parallel to the first transversedirection T1 may be larger than the tolerances between the side surfaces2 8 b parallel to the second transverse direction T2. As shown in FIGS.3 and 4, the casing 13 of the motor is also axially fitted between twoabutments, parallel to the longitudinal direction L, to with a rearabutment 30 belonging for instance to the first body portion and a frontabutment 31 which may also belong to the first body portion.

The front abutment 31 which may include a cut out 31 a for the outputshaft 14 of the motor, the front abutment being axially interposedbetween the casing 13 and the eccentric mass 15, preferably withoutcontact between front abutment 31 and the eccentric mass 15.

As shown in FIG. 3, the switch 9 is mounted between the vibrator 11 andthe proximal portion 3 of the handle, close to the vibrator 3, and isconnected to the motor 12 by electric wires 32. The switch 9 may befixed to a base plate 33 such as an electronic circuit board, which isitself fitted in support members 34 belonging for instance to the firstbody portion 19.

Besides, the handle further includes a battery housing (see FIGS. 3 and4) which is situated between the switch 9 and the proximal portion 3.This battery housing is adapted to receive a battery 36 extendinglongitudinally substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction L ofthe handle. This battery may be inserted in and removed from the batteryhousing parallel to the longitudinal direction L, after removing an endcap 37 which forms the proximal portion 3 of the handle and which isaxially fitted at the rear open end 3 8 of the body 17, the rear endbeing formed for instance by a portion of circular cross section of thefirst body portion 19, opposite to the shaving head 5.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the battery housing may further include twoelectrical contacts 39, 40 for connecting the battery to the switch. Theelectrical contact 39 may be in the form of a metallic strip which isfitted inside the end cap 37.

Besides, the end cap 37 may include for instance an upper finger restportion 37 a with protruding dots on the top surface of the handle, anda lower flattened portion 41 also with protruding dots. Both upperfinger rest portion 37 a and lower flattened portion 41 may be formedfor instance out of elastomer or include an elastomeric trim.

As discussed previously, the distal portion 4 of the razor handle bearsthe shaving head 5. As shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the shaving head 5includes a front face 5 a having one or several blades 5 b exposedthereon, and a rear face 5 c which is connected to the handle 2.

In the example shown in the drawings, the rear face 3 5 5 c of theshaving head is connected to the handle 2 by a lock/release mechanism 41which is shown in greater details in FIGS. 8 a, 8 b and 10 and whichenables to selectively:

either connect the shaving head 5 to the handle, or release the shavinghead in order to exchange, shaving heads.

It should be noted that:

the vibrating mechanism described previously could be used with another“type of connection between the shaving head and the handle,

and that the lock/release mechanism 41, which will now be described ingreater details, could be used without any vibrating mechanism, or witha different vibrating mechanism.

As shown in greater details in FIGS. 2, 8 a, 8 b and 10, thelock/release mechanism 41 includes two arms 42 which can be made forinstance out of molded plastic material. The two arms 42 may each extendfrom a first end 42 a situated inside the handle body 17 toward a secondend 42 b which may protrude toward the outside at the distal portion 4of the handle 2. The two arms may be disposed in a V shape, divergingfrom a medial axis X from their first end 42 a toward their second end42 b. The medial axis X is substantially parallel to the curvedlongitudinal axis L of the handle.

The first ends 42 a of the two arms 42 may be connected together by ahinge 43, formed for instance as a thin bridge of plastic materialconnecting the two arms 42 to each other when the arms are molded as asingle piece. The hinge 43 may have a negligible resilient action, or noresilient action, on the two arms 42.

The two arms 42 further include respectively two push buttons 44 whichmay be formed integrally therewith and which may protrude laterally outof the handle body 17, for instance through two holes 45 formed in thehandle body (see FIGS. 1 a, 1 b and 2). The pushbuttons 44 may thus besurrounded by the handle body in all directions around the holes 45.

Returning to FIGS. 2, 8 a, 8 b and 10, the second ends 42 b of the arms42 may include respectively two bearings, in particular two shellbearings 46 which are exposed toward the outside. Each shell bearing 46may for instance include a cylindrical concave front face 46 a and alateral edge 46 b which protrudes outwardly and which has also acylindrical shape. The two front faces 46 a and the two lateral edges 46b have the same cylindrical axis, corresponding to the axis of rotationof the shaving head 5.

As shown in FIG. 9, the rear face 5 c of the shaving head may includetwo inwardly facing arcuate slots 47 shaped in correspondence with thelateral edges 46 b of the shell bearings and adapted to receive thelateral edges for pivotally mounting the shaving head 5 onto the handle2. These arcuate slots 47 may be formed respectively in two protrudingribs 48 and may be limited:

toward the handle, by a first arcuate concave surface 49 facing towardthe shaving head 5,

and away from the handle, by a larger second arcuate convex surface 50facing toward the handle 2.

The front faces 46 a of the shell bearings 46 bear respectively on thearcuate convex surfaces 50. The arcuate convex surfaces 50 may includerespectively two notches 51 for receiving corresponding protrusions 52of the shell bearings 46 (see FIGS. 8 a and 8 b), so as to limit theangular range of rotation of the shaving head 5.

Besides, as shown in FIG. 9, the ribs 48 may include two inclinedsurfaces 53 facing each other and extending slantwise toward each otherfrom the top of the ribs 48 toward the arcuate slots 47, so as tofacilitate the insertion of the shell bearings 46 in the arcuate slots47.

The rear face 5 c of the shaving head 5 may further include a centralrib 54 having an edge forming a top cam surface 55 facing away from theshaving head 5 toward the handle 2. The cam surface 55 may have agenerally V shape, and may for instance include two substantially flatsurfaces 56 which are slightly inclined relative to one another andwhich may be for instance separated from one another by a notch 57hollowed out in the rib 54 in order (e.g. to adapt the shaving head 5 ona other type of handle having a flexible tongue which is inserted intothe notch 57).

Returning to FIGS. 2, 8 a, 8 b and 10, the lock/release mechanism 41includes a plunger 58 which is movably mounted, substantially along themedial axis X between the two arms 42. This plunger 58 has a centralbody 59 and two lateral wings 60 extending opposite to one anothertoward the two arms 42. The central body 59 extends longitudinallyparallel to the medial axis X, between a first, substantially flat freeend 59 a which bears against the cam surface 55 of the shaving head, anda second end 59 b facing away from the shaving head 5. A recess 61 maybe hollowed out in the central body 59, the recess forming a blind holewhich opens at the second end 59 b of the central body 59, in thedirection of the handle 2.

Each lateral wing 60 may include a detent 62 protruding parallel to themedial axis X toward the shaving head 5, the detent facing an inwardlyextending protrusion 63 belonging to the corresponding arm 42. Theprotrusion 63 has an opening 64 which is limited inwardly by a rim 65belonging to the protrusion. Besides, the lateral wings 60 of theplunger 58 may each have respectively two ribs 66 which extend in amedial plane of the arms 42, opposite to the central body 59.

The plunger 58 is elastically biased toward the cam surface 55 of theshaving head so as to cooperate therewith by camming action to bias theshaving head in rotation toward a rest position. In the example shown inthe drawings, the plunger 58 is elastically biased by a spring 67, forinstance a helicoidal spring, which has a first 5 spring end fitted intothe recess 61. The spring 67 also has a second spring end fitted into arecess 68, for instance in the form of a blind hole, hollowed out in anarm pusher 69.

The arm pusher is disposed between the arms 42 in 10 line with theplunger 58 along the medial axis X. The arm pusher 69 is disposedbetween the plunger 58 and the hinge 43 along the medial axis X. Therecess 68 opens parallel to the medial axis X toward the plunger 58

Besides, in the example shown in the drawings, the spring coils of thehelicoidal spring 67 may be in mutual contact in a central portion ofthe spring 67, between the recesses 61, 68, and may be separate fromeach other between this central portion of the spring, except for thelast spring coils at both ends of the spring.

The arm pusher is slidably mounted between the arms 42, substantiallyparallel to the medial axis X and is elastically biased by the spring 67toward the handle, i.e. away from the shaving head 5. The arm pusher 69cooperates by camming action with the two arms 42 for biasing the armsoutwardly away from each other, toward a head locking position shown inFIGS. 8 a, 8 b and 10, where lateral edges 46 b of the shell bearings 46penetrate in the corresponding arcuate slots 47 of the shaving head.

The arm pusher 69 may have a central body 70 in which the recess 68 ishollowed out, and two lateral extensions 71 extending opposite to oneanother toward the two arms 42 and cooperating by camming actionrespectively with the two arms for biasing the arms toward the headlocking position.

More particularly, the lateral extensions 71 may penetrate in two slots72 formed respectively in the two arms and facing each other. The twolateral extensions 71 of the arm pusher may have lateral edges 74 whichcooperate by camming action with the respective bottoms 73 of the slots.The lateral edges may be diverging from the medial axis X in a directionaway from the handle 2, whereas the bottoms 73 may also diverge from themedial axis in the direction away from the handle.

Thanks to these dispositions, the same spring 67 is used to bias theplunger 58 elastically toward the cam surface 55 of the shaving head andto bias the arm pusher 69 away from the shaving head, thus biasing boththe shaving head in rotation toward the rest position and the arms 42toward the head lock position.

It should be noted that, in the position of FIGS. 8 a, 8 b, and 10, theplunger 58 is maintained between the two arms 42 both by cooperationwith the spring 67, by abutment against the cam surface 55 of theshaving head, and eventually by abutment against the protrusions 63 ofthe arms 42.

When a shaving head 5 is mounted on the handle 2, the lock/releasemechanism 41 is normally in the head lock position. Starting from thisposition, when a user wishes to exchange shaving heads, he first pusheson both pushbuttons 44, which rotates the arm 42 toward each otheragainst the camming action of the arm pusher 69. During this movement,the arm pusher 69 slides along the medial axis X toward the plunger 58,and the arm pusher partially penetrates between the ribs 66 of theplunger. When the 30 arms 42 have sufficiently rotated toward each otherto reach the head release position shown in FIG. 11, the head isreleased by the shell bearings 46 and is simultaneously ejected by theplunger 58.

The plunger 58 then moves forward to an outwardly protruding position,so that the detents 62 of the plunger penetrate in the recesses 64 ofthe extensions 63 of the arms. In this position, as shown in FIG. 11,the arms 42 are maintained in the head release position by abutment ofthe rims 65 against the detents 62, thus cooperating by hooking action.Afterwards, when a new shaving head 5 is fixed to the handle 2, theshell bearings 46 are inserted between the arcuate slots 47 of the newshaving head 5 and the cam surface 55 of the new shaving head pushes theplunger 58 backward toward the handle. The arms 42 are then released androtate away from each other under the action of the arm pusher 69, sothat the shell bearings 46 insert themselves in the arcuate slots 47 ofthe new shaving head, and the lock/release mechanism 41 is again in theposition shown in FIGS. 8 a, 8 b and 10.

1. A razor handle having a lock/release mechanism including: two arms,each having a bearing for pivotally connecting to a shaving head, thearms being connected together by a hinge, the arms extendingsubstantially symmetrically on both sides of a medial axis of thelock/release mechanism, the arms being elastically biased away from eachother by the hinge and toward a head locking position wherein thebearings are adapted to pivotally bear the shaving head, and the armsbeing movable toward one another into a head release position whereinthe bearings are adapted to release the shaving head; a plunger which ismovable between the two arms, substantially parallel to the medial axis;and a spring biasing the plunger away from a handle body of the razorhandle, such that the plunger is adapted to cooperate with a cam surfacebelonging to the shaving head for biasing the shaving head toward a restposition, wherein the lock/release mechanism further includes an armpusher which is movable substantially parallel to the medial axis andwhich is biased toward the handle body by the spring, the arm pushercooperating with the two arms by camming action for biasing the armstoward the head locking position.
 2. The razor handle according to claim1, wherein the arms are molded as a single piece, the hinge comprising athin bridge of material connecting the two arms to each other.
 3. Therazor handle according to claim 1, wherein each arm extends between afirst end connected to the hinge and a second end including one of thebearings.
 4. The razor handle according to claim 3, wherein the bearingsare shell bearings.
 5. The razor handle according to claim 4, whereinthe arms are partially contained inside the handle body and the bearingsare exposed toward the outside of the handle body.
 6. The razor handleaccording to claim 1, wherein each arm includes a pushbutton which isadapted to protrude outside the handle body when the arms are in thelocking position.
 7. The razor handle according to claim 1, wherein thetwo arms diverge from the medial axis in a direction away from thehandle body.
 8. The razor handle according to claim 1, wherein thespring is a compression spring interposed between the plunger and thearm pusher in the medial direction.
 9. The razor handle according toclaim 8, wherein the spring extends between two spring ends, penetratingrespectively in a recess belonging to the plunger and in a recessbelonging to the arm pusher.
 10. The razor handle according to claim 9,wherein the plunger has a central body and two lateral wings, thecentral body being adapted to cooperate with the cam surface of theshaving head to bias the shaving head toward the rest position, and thecentral body including the recess of the plunger which opens toward thearm pusher.
 11. The razor handle according to claim 9, wherein theplunger has a central body and two lateral wings, the two lateral wingsof the plunger being adapted to cooperate by hooking action respectivelywith the two arms to maintain the arms in the head release position whenthe plunger is in an outwardly protruding position.
 12. The razor handleaccording to claim 11, wherein the lateral wings of the plunger areadapted to release the arms when the plunger is moved toward the handlebody relative to the outwardly protruding position.
 13. The razor handleaccording to claim 12, wherein the lateral wings of the plunger includedetents which protrude away from the handle body, substantially parallelto the medial axis, and the arms include two openings adapted to receivethe detents to maintain the arms in the head release position when theplunger is in an outwardly protruding position.
 14. The razor handleaccording to claim 1, wherein the arm pusher has a central body and twolateral extensions cooperating by camming action respectively with thetwo arms for elastically biasing the arms toward the head lockingposition.
 15. The razor handle according to claim 14, wherein the twolateral extensions penetrate in two slots formed respectively in the twoarms.
 16. The razor handle according to claim 15, wherein each slot hasa bottom and each lateral extension cooperate by camming action with thebottom of the corresponding slot.
 17. The razor handle according toclaim 16, wherein the two extensions of the arm pusher have lateraledges which diverge from the medial axis in a direction away from thehandle body, the lateral edges bearing respectively on the bottoms ofthe slots, and the bottoms also diverging from the medial axis in thedirection away from the handle body.
 18. A shaver including a razorhandle according to claim 1 and a shaving head pivotally attached to thehandle by the bearings, the shaving head including a cam surface and theplunger being elastically biased against the cam surface for biasing theshaving head toward a rest position.
 19. The shaver according to claim18, wherein the bearings are shell bearings and the shaving head furtherincludes two inwardly facing arcuate slots receiving respectively thetwo bearings.
 20. A razor handle having a lock/release mechanismincluding: two arms, each having a bearing for pivotally connecting to ashaving head, the arms being connected together by a hinge, the armsextending substantially symmetrically on both sides of a medial axis ofthe lock/release mechanism, the arms being elastically biased away fromeach other by the hinge and toward a head locking position wherein thebearings are adapted to pivotally bear the shaving head, and the armsbeing movable toward one another into a head release position whereinthe bearings are adapted to release the shaving head; a plunger which ismovable between the two arms, substantially parallel to the medial axis;and a spring biasing the plunger away from a handle body of a razorhandle, such that the plunger is adapted to cooperate with a cam surfacebelonging to the shaving head for biasing the shaving head toward a restposition, wherein the lock/release mechanism further includes an armpusher which is movable substantially parallel to the medial axis andwhich is biased toward the handle body by the spring, the arm pushercooperating with the two arms by camming action for biasing the armstoward the head locking position, and wherein the spring is acompression spring interposed between the plunger and the arm pusher inthe medial direction.
 21. A razor handle having a lock/release mechanismincluding: two arms, each having a bearing for pivotally connecting to ashaving head, the arms being connected together by a hinge, the armsextending substantially symmetrically on both sides of a medial axis ofthe lock/release mechanism, the arms being elastically biased away fromeach other by the hinge and toward a head locking position wherein thebearings are adapted to pivotally bear the shaving head, and the armsbeing movable toward one another into a head release position whereinthe bearings are adapted to release the shaving head; a plunger which ismovable between the two arms, substantially parallel to the medial axis;and a spring biasing the plunger away from a handle body of the razorhandle, such that the plunger is adapted to cooperate with a cam surfacebelonging to the shaving head for biasing the shaving head toward a restposition, wherein the lock/release mechanism further includes an armpusher which is movable substantially parallel to the medial axis andwhich is biased toward the handle body by the spring, the arm pushercooperating with the two arms by camming action for biasing the armstoward the head locking position, and wherein the arm pusher has acentral body and two lateral extensions cooperating by camming actionrespectively with the two arms for elastically biasing the arms towardthe head locking position.